Nature & Environment

Malaysia invaded by giant 6-inch moths

By T.K. Randall
June 18, 2014

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) Like a scene from a horror movie, walls and surfaces across Malaysia have been crawling with huge numbers of furry winged insects in recent weeks. Despite measuring up to 16cm in length however the moths are considered harmless and officials have emphasized that there is no need for alarm.

"The moths are actually present during other times of the year but in very small numbers, so they are usually not noticed by people," said biology lecturer N Sivasothi.It isn't clear why there are quite so many this year but experts believe it could either be due to favorable weather conditions or because there is a lack of natural predators. They are also thought to be attracted to urban areas by the city lights.

Some people believe that the moths hold spiritual or superstitious significance.

"In China, moths are viewed as symbols of death as they represent the souls of deceased loved ones," said astrologer Cindy Wu. "It is therefore considered a serious taboo to kill moths or disturb them."


Source: BBC News

Tags: MothsMalaysia